Each year, 38,000 sports-related eye injuries are reported in the United States. Experts say that 90% of them could be prevented.

A survey by the Vision Council of America reports that nearly 9 in 10 people (89%) believe children should regularly wear protective eyewear when playing sports, yet just slightly over 1 in 3 (36%) report that their children actually do so. Of course, nothing can prevent all sports-related eye injuries. But simply making sports goggles a part of athletic uniforms can significantly reduce the likelihood of potentially sight damaging injuries.

Anyone participating in these sports and activities should wear eye protection:

• baseball or softball
• racquetball
• tennis
• badminton
• soccer
• football
• ice hockey or street hockey
• basketball
• lacrosse
• archery
• fencing
• boxing
• karate

Block Out the Sun

Ultraviolet light from the sun, even in winter, is a danger in all outdoor sports. UV light contributes to diseases such as cataracts and tumors that affect parts of the eye. Younger eyes absorb more UV rays so UV protection is important year-round.

What To Look For

Protective goggles must be made of the proper materials, and fitted correctly for each wearer. Here's what you should look for:

• padded or rubber bridges to keep the goggles comfortable
• deep-grooved eyewires to keep the lenses from falling out if the frame is hit hard
• a face-formed shape to provide a wider field of view
• headband attachments to keep the frames from slipping
• lenses made from polycarbonate, a type of clear plastic that is impact resistant
• 100% UV protection and a scratch-resistant coating